August 1998, making four goalless First Division appearances under John Aldridge. He joined fellow First Division side Port Vale on loan in February 1999, and scored once in eight games for Brian Horton's "Valiants". He did not feature at all for Manchester City in 1999–2000, and started the campaign on loan at Darlington in September and October, scoring twice in twelve Third Division games. After an unsuccessful trial with Norwich City, he started a six-week loan spell at Oxford United in February 2000, in a move that reunited him with former Sunderland manager Denis Smith. He made six goalless appearances for the struggling Second Division side. He moved north to Scotland to join Sandy Clark's SPL side St Johnstone on loan in April 2000, and scored on his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Motherwell. This was enough to win him a permanent contract at McDiarmid Park in July 2000, following his release from Maine Road. He scored twice in 16 games in 2000–01, and scored once in 14 games in 2001–02, as the club suffered relegation under Billy Stark. After eleven goalless appearances in 2002–03, he made the decision to leave the First Division side in October 2002, saying that his family did not take to life in the country. In January 2003 he moved on to Carlisle United, and scored his first goal for the club in a league game against Torquay United. He was an unused substitute in the 2003 Football League Trophy Final at the Millennium Stadium, which ended in a 2–0 defeat to Bristol City. Roddy Collins' "Cumbrians" avoided relegation into the Conference National by one point and one place in 2002–03. The following season, he scored his second goal for the club, against Walsall in the League Cup. He left Brunton Park to join fellow Third Division strugglers Darlington in January 2004, in a move that reunited him with David Hodgson, who had also been manager at Darlington during his loan spell. He featured 30 times in 2004–05, as the "Quakers" missed out on the play-offs on goal difference. He left The Darlington Arena in May 2005, and then signed for Newcastle Blue Star, and later South Shields, both of the Northern League. Style of play Russell could play as a forward or at left-back. He was an athletic player and a strong runner. Post-retirement After retiring, Russell joined rugby union club Newcastle Falcons